


Masquerade

by YamiHeart



Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-19
Updated: 2015-08-19
Packaged: 2018-04-15 15:00:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 988
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4611111
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/YamiHeart/pseuds/YamiHeart
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Mathieu couldn't believe he had managed to be overdressed for a masquerade ball. At least the effort he put into dressing up gets noticed by the gentleman in the rooster mask coming his way.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Masquerade

Mathieu had to admit that he had been a little suspicious when his brother excitedly handed him a ticket to the Capulet’s Ball. In high school, Alfred had fallen asleep during an in-class reading of  _Romeo and Juliet_ , so it was hard for Mathieu to imagine Alfred being so into a Shakespeare-themed dance. Discovering that the secondary theme was “masquerade ball” only confused him more. Sure, Alfred liked superheroes, but wearing a mask to fight crime and wearing a mask to dance weren’t really comparable.

Everything clicked into place on the night of the dance itself, when Mathieu was quickly abandoned by his brother for a man with a British accent and a lion mask. Alfred wasn’t suddenly interested in Shakespeare and masquerade balls; his  _crush_  was. Honestly, Mathieu thought his brother’s actions were sweet. As he stood off to the side of the dancefloor with a glass of water in his hand (hey, if anything got too crazy, he didn’t mind being the designated driver), he watched his brother stumble and laugh along with the man in the lion mask. It was nice seeing his brother enjoy himself while stepping outside of his comfort zone.

“ _Petit ours (little bear)_ , what are you doing by yourself way over here?”

Since Mathieu had dressed up in all white and cream with a polar bear themed mask, he had to assume that he was the one being talked to even though he was used to blending into the wall. He turned to his left and saw a man approach him with an elegant bird mask. The way the feathers on the mask transitioned from red to orange to an iridescent blue-green made Mathieu think of a rooster, though it seemed to be a bit of an odd choice for a masquerade filled with swans and peacocks.

Mathieu shrugged and took a sip of his water. “I’m not much of a partier. I just came to make sure my brother has a way home.”

“Your brother?” The man planted himself next to Mathieu. “Which one is he?”

Mathieu smiled and pointed just as Alfred tumbled to the ground for the tenth time that night. “He’s the eagle making the lion bust a gut laughing.”

“Ahhhhh.” The man chuckled and took a sip of wine. “How interesting. My… ‘friend’ happens to be the lion.”

Mathieu turned his head to look at the rooster man again. “Oh! What a coincidence!” His face eased into a smile. It was funny how much easier it was talking to people when most of their faces were obstructed. Though the man’s French accent was driving him crazy in the best way possible, he didn’t feel nervous at all! “Are you a fan of the dance, or Shakespeare? My brother isn’t particularly good at either, but I’m certain he came tonight to get on the lion’s good side.”

“My friend painted this as being an upscale party worthy of the old kings and their courts.” The Frenchman grimaced and looked over himself. “Instead, I feel quite overdressed.”

Mathieu hummed in agreement. “Yeah, I didn’t know they’d have black and white plastic masks at the front doors. That sort of cheapens things.”

“Exactly.” The rooster sounded relieved to hear that someone else understood him. “I mean, you cannot just show up in a tuxedo you would wear to junior prom, slap on a black plastic mask, and get the full experience of a masquerade. I could not believe it when I saw you over here in the corner all by yourself.”

“What do you mean?”

The rooster looked up at Mathieu, a gentle smile on his lips. “Your costume is far too beautiful to be kept off the dancefloor.” He placed his wine glass down on a nearby table and held out a hand to Mathieu. “Would you honor me with a dance,  _Monsieur Ours_?”

Oh, what the heck did Mathieu have to lose sharing one dance with an attractive Frenchman?

He placed his water down, took the other man’s hand, and smiled. “After you, _Monsieur Coq_.”

The two glided onto the dance floor and, unlike his brother, Mathieu proved to be a very coordinated dancer.

“Are you sure you are related to the eagle who is not only tripping over his own feet, but the feet of everyone else as well,” the rooster asked playfully.

Mathieu chuckled. “I’m sure. I just have the advantage of being a hockey player. If I wasn’t coordinated, I would have a lot of problems out on the ice.”

“Oh~ Tell me more,  _cher_.”

Soon one dance became two, then three, then seven. The pair talked, laughed, spun, and promenaded. They parted by extending their arms fully away from their linked hands and stood with their chests flush. When the call for the last dance rung out, Mathieu was shocked. Where had the time gone?

“I’m sorry, I have to find my…” Mathieu looked at the exit and saw his brother run away with the lion.

The rooster followed Mathieu’s gaze and frowned. “It seems we have been abandoned.” They looked at each other once more and, after a beat, the Frenchman’s lips went back to the smile they had been in since the two men began to dance. “Would you care to be my ride home?”

Mathieu pressed his forehead against the Frenchman’s forehead and gazed into his eyes. “Only if you show me the face beneath this mask.”

“Hm…” Fingers crept down Mathieu’s back and stopped on his butt. “I think that is fair, but if you wish to see anything else come off, you will have to take me dancing again.”

“Deal,  _Monsieur-_ ”

The rooster placed a finger on Mathieu’s lips and whispered, “Please, save that name for the bedroom. Otherwise, call me Francois.”

Mathieu grabbed the hand and kissed the knuckles. “Mathieu.”

When the lights came up, both men saw red cheeks peeking out from below the other’s mask.


End file.
